Earlier this week, when this year’s round of Academy Awards nominations was announced, the internet immediately noticed a lack of diversity, pointing out that there are no people of colour up for any of the major acting categories.
The awards faced similar criticism last year around nomination time, and this year, even Academy president Cheryl Boon Isaacs said she was “disappointed” at the failure of films like Creed and Straight Outta Compton to break through.
Overnight, comedian Chris Rock, who has been tapped to host the Oscars this year, made reference to the potentially uncomfortable situation he faces when sharing a promo for the show.
In a Tweet, he referred the Oscars as “the white BET awards”:
The #Oscars. The White BET Awards.
https://t.co/8qjLR0uysI
— Chris Rock (@chrisrock) January 15, 2016
The BET Awards – short for Black Entertainment Television – celebrate African Americans and other minorities in fields like acting, music and sport over the course of the previous year.
Jada Pinkett Smith also expressed her dissatisfaction with the situation via a Facebook post, saying:
At the Oscars…people of color are always welcomed to give out awards…even entertain, but we are rarely recognized for our artistic accomplishments. Should people of color refrain from participating all together? People can only treat us in the way in which we allow.
With much respect in the midst of deep disappointment,
J.
The Oscars air on Sunday February 22 in the U.S.
Story: Jezebel
